by Alexie Aaron
He looked at her a moment and saw a proud woman who was willing to humble herself for the sake of the team and, more importantly, his fragile ego. He nodded, not trusting his voice.
Mia rolled her neck before she spoke, “Mike and me talked, well argued, about the situation here on the long drive into Chicago. We think that the best course of action is a three-pronged approach. We have to locate Jerry’s grave, if there is one, and I need to find out who Jerry was supposed to be going to the Homecoming dance with, and OOB in order to impersonate her. This way, I can distract him while the rest of you evacuate those people out of the fog. Part of the information I pulled from the web is Whitney’s primary PERT findings, so we have a list for you to work off of. It gives a list of the missing people, descriptions, and what they were wearing when they were abducted.”
Mia turned to Tom. “I’m sorry I have exposed you to this illegal activity, but I sense you’re not as conflicted as Whitney was. You seem to be a thinking law enforcement professional and not just one afraid to break a few rules.”
“You would be right. Mia, I’ve learned a lot from Sheriff Ryan and a lot from you too. Don’t worry, I’m not sweating the small stuff.”
Cid laughed. “Small stuff like hacking into a federal database and…”
Tom put his hands over his ears and whistled.
“I know there was a lot to read through,” Mia said. “Did anyone find out what happened to the actual town? Like the buildings?”
“I didn’t find anything,” Burt admitted.
“Neither did Mike and I,” Mia said. She turned to Ted. “Do you think there is some kind of memorial anywhere?”
“I’ll check, but Audrey would have looked for that first,” Ted said.
“Why, Mia?” Cid asked.
“Because I could possibly read the disaster from the eyes of the people who cared enough to put up a marker. Otherwise, I’m going to have to go headstone by headstone, and I don’t think we have the time. The fiftieth anniversary of the disaster is in two days.” She looked at the clock and corrected, “One day from now.”
~
Audrey sat and ate food that didn’t fill her stomach. She looked at the people playing her parents, and they looked half-starved. She worried about the people who may have been here longer. She declined the lunch bag that was offered and left her school books on the counter. Murphy said to touch as little as she could.
There were other people making their way to the high school. There was a woman who had a badge that hung from her neck. Audrey got close enough to read her name, Agent Eileen Fisher.
“Hello, Kim, it’s a warm day for October. I expect we’re going to have an Indian summer.”
“I expect so,” Audrey parroted, trying to take on the region’s accent. She hoped that would fool Jerry.
She heard pounding feet behind her. The crowd split as Whitney ran up and grabbed her hand. He leaned in and whispered, “I rented a cabin. Tomorrow night’s the night, Kimmy.”
Audrey smiled. “Shush, someone may hear you,” she said, feigning embarrassment.
“Okay, got you. See you in school.” He ran on ahead.
“So you’re going to let Kenny pop your cherry?” a young woman dressed in running clothes said behind her.
“Better him than someone else, I suppose,” Audrey said.
“Kim, he’s just going to do it and then brag about it.”
“I know. But if I don’t let him, then he’ll brag about it without me getting the deed done.”
The girl laughed.
“Who are you going with?” Audrey asked.
“Kim, you know I’m going with Jerry Keys.”
“I guess I thought that was a joke.”
The girl’s face clouded. “Everyone seems to think that. But Jerry and I worked together during summer break, and he’s a great guy.”
“He’s no Kenny,” Audrey said.
“No he isn’t, and that’s why I’m going to the dance with him.”
“You know, he probably has a cabin reserved too. All boys are alike,” Audrey said, watching the girl.
“They are, aren’t they?”
Audrey shrugged.
“Well, it’s not like I have a cherry to lose anymore, thanks to the football hero.”
“When?”
“Junior prom. Becky and Kenny at the Howard Johnson’s, yippee.”
“I sense a bit of sarcasm.”
“You didn’t have to pray every day after for your period.”
“He didn’t use…”
“Doesn’t believe in it. You better get yourself something and insist on it.”
Audrey was so caught up in being Kim that she wondered where she could buy a pack of rubbers.
They arrived at the school. Audrey hung back and worried that she was losing who she was. There was a strange-looking man staring at her. She realized that it was Stephen Murphy. She ran over to him.
He motioned for her to follow him. They stopped walking just shy of the woods.
“I found a way out. Come on,” he said. He took Audrey’s hand.
To her it felt wooden, but she grasped it like it was a lifeline. Together, they moved into the foggy woods.
Chapter Nine
Mia and Tom moved through the early morning fog. They had tied themselves together, and Mia fell into a fit of giggles when Tom said, “Imagine us tying the knot.”
They were the best equipped for the job. Mia’s and Tom’s sight gave them the advantage. They still wore the full-spectrum glasses. Mia had them balanced on the end of her nose like cheater glasses.
The day was warm. Ted and Cid had headed out earlier to search one of the three local graveyards. Burt was left at the cabin, trying to get through to Whit’s chief to inform her of what he thought happened to the PERT.
Mia didn’t envy him that phone call, but Burt assured her he was used to being called a crazy and hung up on.
“Careful, Mia,” Tom said as he spotted a rope of twisted fog on the ground.
They stepped over it.
“That looks like a tripwire,” Tom said.
They heard a set of footsteps, and Mia moved closer to Tom. The fog hung here like panel curtains. There was just so much space in-between to let in light. Out of one of the breaks stumbled Audrey.
“Thank God!” Mia said, rushing to her.
“Mia!” Audrey cried out, hanging on to her friend for dear life.
Mia looked over her shoulder at Murphy, who stood there with a satisfied look on his face. Tom reached out a hand. “Thank you for bringing her out of there.”
Murphy nodded.
Mia let go of Audrey and dug in her pocket and activated an energon cube and set it down on an unaffected area of ground. Murphy placed his axe in the slot and took on the power. “Thank God you were here to protect her.”
Tom unwrapped some of the line and tied Audrey between him and Mia. They retraced their steps and walked out of the fog.
“Audrey, put these on. You need to stay out of the waves, otherwise you’ll end up in a different time,” Mia said, handing her the glasses.
Tom untied them and took Audrey’s hand, and together, they walked towards the cabin. Mia stayed behind. She turned and looked at Murphy.
He watched as her head repeatedly turned to make sure he was behind her.
“I’ve been so worried. I know I shouldn’t have been because you are invincible, but…”
Murphy asked, “How long were we gone?”
“Three days.”
“I would have been worried too.” He saw a sadness in her eyes, but now was not the time to pry. “I have much to tell PEEPs.”
“Ted and Cid are out scouting graveyards, and Mike is in the hospital. So you’ve only got two PEEPs here.”
“What happened to Mike?”
“Ted happened. I’ll get into that later. Come on,” Mia said, reaching out to grab his hand. “We have to always be in pairs, Burt’s new rule.”
Murphy shifted h
is axe and grabbed Mia’s hand. To her, his hand was warm and a bit calloused. She liked that about Murph.
~
Ted and Cid were on their way back when Burt’s call came through. Ted put it on speaker.
“Guess who walked out of the fog,” Burt said.
“I’m hoping it was Murphy and Audrey,” Ted said.
“Yes, and they have a lot of intel. Hurry back, but stop and pick up some food first. Audrey hasn’t eaten in three days.”
“Will do.” Ted ended the call and looked over at Cid who was driving. “We better buy lots of food. Audrey is showing signs of cannibalism.”
“On a related note, I can’t believe Mia ate a dragon’s heart.”
“Technically half,” Ted corrected. “I thought it was chocolate on her face. Sariel lied to me.”
“He probably was being sensitive to Mia’s fear of being judged,” Cid said. “You kissed lips that had been dining on raw dragon. How cool is that?”
“I think you are a sick man, dude.”
“I’m a jealous man. Ted, get your shit together. Your insecurities are hurting Mia.”
“I know.”
“I think Mike is ruing the day when he pushed you into that room to comfort her.”
“Mike’s not good for her.”
“Actually, I think he’s better for her than you are,” Cid said.
“Traitor!” Ted exclaimed.
“Hear me out. His only insecurities are his fading looks. He knows he’s human and can only do so much. He doesn’t try to be something he’s not. He’s able to listen to Mia and not condemn her. He doesn’t want to change her, he just wants to be with her. He’s not worried when she’s not around. He continues to live his shallow life. Sure, he’s changing, but look who’s changing him?”
“Mia is.”
“But not consciously. She’s loyal to you, and damn, that has to be hard when you’ve not been loyal to her. Yes, I know it was the hex, but I think you have to get those insecurities tied down or you’re going to lose her. And, this time, I’m not coming to the rescue,” Cid warned.
“How did you get so smart?” Ted said with his arms crossed.
“I’m not. I not only hear everything, I listen.”
“It’s hard, dude,” Ted admitted.
“You can do this. We need the banter back. Even Burt misses the obnoxious teasing on the com. Mia may be an archangel’s shield maiden, but she’s your wife first. Dude, she loves you. I can hear it in her voice. I can see it when she looks at you. She’s afraid that her past is going to lessen her in your eyes, and she’s afraid that her freakiness is going to turn you off. She’s every bit as insecure as you are,” Cid said, realizing this for the first time. “Huh, I guess you are a better match than I thought.”
“So you’re dropping team Mike for team Ted then?”
“Oh, don’t misunderstand me. I was just telling you how I see things. We’ve always been honest with each other.”
“Yes we have. Thanks, Cid.”
~
Ted and Cid burst through the cabin door, bearing bags of food and cases of sodas. Mia looked over at Ted and smiled before dropping her eyes. She was studying the account Audrey wrote up of her time as Kim. Mia was disappointed that the cheerleader Audrey had seen looked like Heather’s picture, so Audrey couldn’t help Mia with her transformation. Audrey did, however, find a link to old yearbooks. She hadn’t printed anything out because, at that time, she was just collecting random information on the town that had once graced the valley.
Mia felt Ted approaching. She turned and looked up at him. “Hello, handsome. Come here often?” she asked.
Ted turned around and looked. He tapped his chest.
“Yes, you.”
“I brought you something,” he said, producing a small bag. He handed it to her.
Mia looked inside and back at Ted and asked, “How did you know?”
“I can’t take credit. Cid saw them and said, ‘That’s Mia, dude.’”
The room watched as Mia drew out a candy necklace. “Put it on me,” she said as if they were pearls.
Ted stretched the elastic over her head, and Mia pulled her long hair out of the way as Ted moved the pastel-colored candies evenly around the necklace.
Mia jumped up, looked in the mirror and beamed. “It’s perfect.” Mia pulled Ted into the bedroom and kicked the door shut.
Tom started clapping. He tapped on the door and said, “You only have seven minutes. Make them count, Cooper.”
~
Mike opened his eyes. His nose was packed, and most of his face was either bandaged or taped. It took a while for his vision to clear. His eyes moved around the room. Sitting in a chair, reading a book, was Meg Armstrong.
“Meg,” he groaned.
“Well, look who’s coming around finally. Let me ring the nurse so you can have something for the pain.”
“How?”
“Funny story. Mia called me and said, if I wanted to see you at your absolute ugliest, that I needed to get my ass – her words – to the hospital. She said that her husband broke your nose and rearranged your face.”
Mike tried to make an expression, but everything hurt.
“Here.” Meg gave Mike a small whiteboard and a marker.
We had a fight.
“What about?”
I was rude.
“It happens. Mia also told me that she paid for additional work to be done. Said you were showing your age on camera.”
OUCH!
“I think Mia was teasing. Seems like she’s sweet on you. Do I sense a past romance?”
No!
“A future one?”
?
“At least you’re honest. I’d like to throw my hat in the ring, Mike.”
?
“I think you need me. You have way too many exotic women around. Time for you to learn to appreciate a down-to-earth girl.”
Wise words.
~
Jerry stood atop the bleachers and studied the people there. Was there someone missing?
“Hey, Jer,” Kenny called. “Have you seen Kim?”
That was it. Where had Kim gone? She was supposed to be flirting with Kenny at this time. Maybe she was at home. He moved quickly to the house, and by the look of the two people who stared at him as if he was crazy, he could tell Kim wasn’t there.
Becky heard the whistle and looked over to see an attractive guy. He was a little older, and he had a smattering of freckles across his nose. His smile was pleasant, and he was wearing a uniform. He strode over. “Hello, Becky, I’m Deputy Braverman. Your parents have been in an accident. They asked me to escort you to the hospital.”
Becky nodded and grabbed her things. She walked with Tom behind the concession stand. There stood a beautiful girl.
“What is going on?” Heather asked.
“Can you see me?” Mia asked her.
“Yes. What’s going on?” she asked.
“Heather, we’ve come to save you,” Mia said and walked around Heather, examining her uniform.
Heather watched as the girl’s clothes changed into the cheerleading uniform Heather had on.
“Go with Deputy Braverman. He will explain.”
Mia walked out onto the field as Becky. She looked over and found Whitney and two of his PERT playing ball. She waved to Whit in a friendly way before joining her squad. Mia hated cheerleaders, but for the sake of the people trapped there, she would be doing her best to be bouncy and perky.
Jerry moved back to the field and stopped. Becky looked different. She wasn’t the running girl he took from the path; she was Becky.
Becky turned and looked up at him, waving madly. “Jerry!” she called.
He waved her over to him. Mia dodged a few footballs as she moved across the field. She approached Jerry. “Jerry, what’s going on? All these strange people. Have you seen Kim?”
“No, she’s missing. Becky, what’s going on?”
“Why don’t you tell m
e? One minute, I thought I was at the beauty parlor getting my hair done, and the next moment, I’m here, and it’s yesterday?”
“I don’t quite know either. I’ve missed you, Becky.”
“Silly,” Mia said, laying her hand on Jerry’s arm. “We were just together. Kiss me, Jerry,” she said.
Jerry looked at her skeptically. “We’ve never kissed before.”
“I thought you liked me,” Mia pouted. “I’m sorry. Did I misread our relationship?”
“I’m confused.”
“Kiss me, Jerry,” Mia said again.
He took her in his arms, and she felt real to him. He brought his mouth to hers, and his lips tingled as he pressed them on hers. He opened his eyes, and hers were shut. He drew away, and she opened her eyes and smiled.
There was a wolf whistle coming from the field. Tom had done it to start the ball rolling. Jerry looked down, and Kenny was making a rude gesture at a teammate. Jerry assumed it was about the two of them kissing. “Becky, maybe we should go someplace more private.”
“I’d like that Jerry. I feel so safe in your arms,” Mia said.
Jerry took her hand, and they made their way down the bleachers. Jerry walked Mia to the high school. “I know a place that’s kind of private. I go there to think sometimes.”
“Lead the way,” Becky said, leaning into Jerry.
Tom handed Heather off to Cid who took her to Burt who, in turn, introduced her to the briefed federal agent.
Tom turned his attentions on the town first. Mia said she would be keeping Jerry busy at the high school for an hour or so. He didn’t want to think of how she was going to do it. He had a pretty good idea. Ted and she came to an agreement that what happened to her OOB persona wasn’t really happening to her. Mia’s body was resting beside her husband in the command post, where Ted was coordinating the evacuation and emergency aid of the abducted people. Audrey would be checking off names as the people were brought through the fog.
Mia let the teen ghost kiss her and pet her at his own pace. She kept her hands out of it. She didn’t want the kid to be frightened away. She was playing a role, but she still felt a bit like a pervert, considering their age difference, and grossed out because the teen was technically dead.